


The Fox's Lair

by jiscake



Category: Stray Kids (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Royalty, Alternate Universe - Steampunk, Alternate Universe - Victorian, Dark, Demons, Gen, M/M, Murder, Psychopath, Tragic Backgrounds, Victorian, Violence
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-12-12
Updated: 2019-12-12
Packaged: 2021-02-18 04:01:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,945
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21771409
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jiscake/pseuds/jiscake
Summary: Roseley is a city covered in mist and mysteries at the same time. Yang Jeongin, the Earl in control has a long story in this city. Lee Felix, a successful actor was just only scratching the surface when first meeting him.
Relationships: Hwang Hyunjin/Yang Jeongin | I.N, Lee Felix/Yang Jeongin | I.N
Kudos: 9





	The Fox's Lair

Yang Jeongin stood up from the comfortable chair of his room. The light brown desk had all kinds of different papers towering on it - business documents, personal diary pages and such. The young boy happened to be the governor of this huge city. The Yang family had a long history in this locality. Noble blood runs in their veins since the beginning of the history books. 

Dark crimson is what Earl Yang was recognized by. The gold inlay on the bell sleeve of his tailcoat was a symbol of wealth and royalty. A cravat only made for him, his family’s escutcheon carved into the edge of the piece of cloth. Field boots’ heels echoing on cold tiles, his steps left the whole mansion in silence. 

He was proudly wearing a fox’s cunning and a raven’s pride. Lonely as a wolf, he meant no mercy for anyone who dared to set a foot in his way. Needing no one, Yang Jeongin happened to be an enemy to reckon with. 

A loud knock on his big, wooden door made the young Earl snap out of his fantasies. Without even answering, the door slab swung open and and a little muffin had just entered the room. Yeji, his younger sister had never been someone who’s respected personal boundaries. 

“Brother!” she happily exclaimed as he saw the crimson figure taking a step towards her. No matter how many times it’s been taught her - wait for an answer before you storm into a room! - she never listened. Life was too short to follow dumb rules made by dumb adults, wasn’t it? 

“How many times do I have to teach you to wait for an answer? Madame Mina is not gonna be very happy about this.” Jeongin sighed resignedly. It was impossible to teach some manners to his sister, although it wasn’t his job to do. Yeji’s maids and butler should have done this when she was younger. Now that she’s in the middle of her teen years, it was even harder. All her thoughts were about pretty princes and earls she should meet up with.  
Of course, her butler refused Yeji getting into any kind of relationship yet. 

“Talk of the devil! The Madame is coming over tonight.” Yeji exclaimed, as she stepped further into Jeongin’s room. It was just for work, his personal bedroom was across the entire mansion. The girl put a hand down on his brother’s desk, looking at the paper laying on it. “What’s this?” she innocently picked up and started reading it. 

“Not any of your business, Yeji. And learn to keep your hands to yourself, it is incredibly impolite to touch other people’s possessions. What kind of butler can’t teach you some basic manners, little lady?” Jeongin asked his sister, walking over to her to take the paper out of her small hands. 

“We would like to invite you to join us for a formal ball on Saturday, 12th of November at 7 in the evening.” Yeji read out a line, her eyebrows lifting up. “You’re organizing a ball and you don’t invite your sister?!” she exclaimed out loud. 

Jeongin sighed, as he finally claimed the piece of letter.  
“I don’t think I can show up with you on my side if you keep on being such an ill-mannered lady, Yeji.” 

She sighed out in disbelief, a shade of madness across on her face. 

“Nevermind. I wasn’t interested in your ball anyway, Earl.” a derisive smile on her face, she looked out of the window. Being november, the sun was already on her way down. Orange light filled up the front lawn. The garden looked fabulous - and that was an understatement. A small fountain took it’s graceful place, spiced up with some flowers. Roses, aconites, everything your heart desired. 

Jeongin didn’t really take any offence from her attack. Deep down his ice heart didn’t even melt for his sister. Blankly staring at her for a couple of seconds, he asked his question. 

“Why is the Madame coming?” 

Yeji shook her shoulders, looking almost careless. The flowers looked so pretty through the window, warm sunlights making them grow even prettier. The girl discovered a figure in the garden, a dark one. His hair black, his uniform black, there was even a dark aura coating him. Suddenly, the young looking male took a glimpse up at the window, his gaze meeting with Yeji’s. She turned her back on the window and just simply walked away. 

Jeongin went to where she stood, curious about what his sister could have been looking at. His butler was in the middle of a gardening job, as he was holding a crimson rose in his hand. The servant making eye contact with the Earl, smiled a little. 

“Coming over for tea. Haven’t seen her good, little nephews for quite a while now.” Yeji simply answered, making her way to the exit. “You better tell your butler to start making the preparations now. It’s your mansion, after all.” 

The Earl looked out on the window again, but the butler was gone now. 

•-------••✦ ✦••-------•

The crowd applauded the actors standing on the huge stage. It was nine in the evening, the best time for a play to end. Noblemen were likely to have a little drink or piece of cake after paying a visit to a theater. 

Just in a couple of minutes, the hall was empty - only behind the curtains were full of life. All the actors and actresses were starting to take their costumes down. The orange brown haired boy sat down in the make-up artist’s chair to get the paint off his face. His heartbeat was still adorably sped up. No matter how many times he did a performance, the round of praise always made him brittle. 

Suddenly, he felt a warm touch on his shoulder. Looking over, he saw his caretaker, Woojin.  
“Amazing performance, Felix!” he happily exclaimed, sharing his opinion on the boy’s acting tonight. A smile appeared on the younger’s face, thanking the older one. 

“Thank you, I’m very happy you could make it. Almost scared me, thinking you’d rather pick work instead of my play.” the slyness in his eyes almost made Woojin feel bad. But almost. They’ve known each other for a long time now, it was obvious that Felix was joking. Still, Woojin felt the need to apologize.

“You know it wasn’t like that, it was a very important meeting I had to attend-”

“I know. I was just kidding.” he quickly stopped, a deadpan emotion appearing on his face. It always took his caretaker by surprise. Felix should have been through puberty by now, but his mood swings were all over the place. “Please wait for me outside. We can go home together.” he smiled at the older man standing behind him. 

•-------••✦ ✦••-------•

The Earl’s mansion had a huge living room. Walls baby blue, windows big, chandeliers graceful. A small table was set up, with different colored cups on it. Jeongin was sitting in one of the comfortable chairs, looking up at his aunt. Madame Mina was a worshipful woman. Her impact on Roseley’s city was respectable. She changed many lives by the help of her books. You couldn’t simply make her mad, on top of her beauty she was a kind woman. Would probably die of remorse if she killed a butterfly.

The card pack on the table was spread out wide, all over the place. It looked like the Earl was the final winner, the Madame making a comeback seemed very unlikely. 

“I’m very happy you made it, Madame.” Jeongin slowly said, being careful with his words as always. “It was said that it would snow tonight.” 

“Yes,” the brown haired woman placed another card on top of the table after taking a sip of her sweet blueberry tea “hopefully, I can make my way back as well.” she told her nephew with a small smile on her rose lips. 

Jeongin watched her hands as she placed the card, already making his next move, the final one. It was easy to beat her in any game but she still agreed to play - for the kids. Yeji sat in another armchair, not far from them. Reading a book, she kind of got lost in its world, detaching from the conversation. 

“Game over.” the Earl took a sharp breath through his teeth, taking the last sip of his tea. 

“You’re right.” Madame Mina let out a small chuckle, with such love in her eyes, it almost made Jeongin’s heart warm up as well. “Only if my sister were here, you could play such good games with your mother…”

Even Yeji looked up from her book after hearing that. Their mother’s death was a taboo in this house. Of course, the Madame knew that her sister’s passing was a forbidden topic here but she broke the rule anway.

It wasn’t on purpose - she just really missed her sibling. 

Jeongin looked away from the table and the woman. What an unhappy mistake mentioning her was. The boy’s whole body felt cold as he heard those words. Shaking and tearing up is all he managed to do. 

“Poor thing. I refuse to talk to all people who can’t keep my house’s rules. And that concerns you too, Madame.” The Earl stood up, leaving everything behind. Madame Mina couldn’t get herself to say a word in her defense. Jeongin’s coldness left a heavy atmosphere behind. 

Making his way to his bedroom, Jeongin took off the cravat around his neck. It was an exhausting day for him, organizing the ball and now this little accident. Angrily slamming the door behind him, as if nothing happened. Actually, a small smile creeped onto his face. 

He couldn’t hold it back, it has been so long. The smile evolved into a chuckle, setting a heavy, dark feeling on the room. It didn’t affect the boy at all. The Earl didn’t feel any of this uncomfortable pressure. 

“Oh, my. What a grand act just to get out of there.” A voice in the dark called him out. Jeongin slowly turned around, facing the person standing next to his bed. He put a hand on his cheek, feeling the coldness of it. 

“The whole world is a theater.” Jeongin made his way towards his bed, now clearly seeing the figure in the dark. “Help me change into my night suit.” 

Obeying, the butler took the crimson cravat out of the Earl’s hand. Starting to undo the buttons of his shirt, he saw the visible part of their pact. Of course, Jeongin noticed it. 

“Don’t look. You know you’re not allowed to look.” 

The butler let out a small chuckle, as he took off his boots as well. 

“I’m sorry, Earl. It is very hard to avoid it with my eyes, to be completely honest.”

Jeongin stopped replying after this, waiting to be dressed up properly for sleeping. Just in minutes, they were done. He laid down in the bed, his body getting lost in the warm and soft feeling of the silk. 

“Such lifeless eyes for a pretty face like yours.” 

The Earl looked up at the butler with those dark orbs of his. He knew how lifeless his eyes were when he wasn’t around people. The difference was almost ridiculously obvious.  
“Watch your mouth, Hyunjin.” is all he said, before letting all the strength leave his body. He closed his eyes, slowly starting to drift off to the land of dreams. 

The servant let out a small chuckle as he watched his master dozing off. Carefully lifting up his hand, he pressed a small kiss on the soft and white skin. 

“Yes, my Earl.”

**Author's Note:**

> Hi guys! ^^  
> So, these past days I've been watching a lot of Stray Kids content and I had this story on my mind anyway. I always see Jeongin being the adorable, little one so I thought I'd give him a more serious role now in a serious story. Also, if you haven't read the tags, this story is gonna get pretty dark later on but I hope you guys will decide to stick around! 
> 
> Kudos and comments are highly appreciated! ♡
> 
> Hit me up on twitter and let's be friends! ^^  
> https://twitter.com/_jiscake


End file.
